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#BS-2005-SATREL-11EE

2005 Saturn Relay

Based on reports from 137 owners and 3 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
137
Crashes
3
Fires
1
Recalls
3
TSBs
547
🟢

Preliminary Verdict

Proceed with Caution

Based on 137 complaints, 3 crashes, 1 fires, and 3 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

transmission slipping

3 complaints • Severity 6.7/10

$X,XXX
2

radio buttons turn on and off

1 complaints • Severity 4/10

$X,XXX
3

loud groaning noise when turning

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the BrakesHIGH

24 owners reported brakes issues — failures commonly reported around 42K miles.

!Inspect the ElectricalMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

42
0–30K
24
30–60K
22
60–90K
21
90–120K
5
120–150K
5
150K+

Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (42 reports) • Median: 42K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Brakes (24 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Brakes24 (18%)
Electrical20 (15%)
Lights8 (6%)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip6 (4%)
Structure:body:door6 (4%)
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch5 (4%)
Traction Control System5 (4%)
Service Brakes, Electric5 (4%)

2005 Saturn Relay: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Brakes Issues

Brakes complaints account for 18% of all reports filed for the 2005 Saturn Relay, with 24 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 42,109 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 42K-mile mark.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 15% of all reports filed for the 2005 Saturn Relay, with 20 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Lights Issues

Lights complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2005 Saturn Relay, with 8 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to lights-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip Issues

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 2005 Saturn Relay, with 6 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

12
05
20
06
19
07
11
08
13
09
11
10
10
11
8
12
5
13
10
14
11
15
4
16
2
17
1
18

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2005 Saturn Relay. Recent trend: decreasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (3 recalls)

05V061000Apr 2005

SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY

ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, THE OUTBOARD RELEASE HANDLE ON THE IMPACT-SIDE SECOND-ROW BUCKET SEAT MAY BE ACTUATED AND THE REAR LATCHES MAY UNLATCH EARLY IN A SIDE IMPACT CRASH. THIS WAS DISCOVERED IN A SIDE IMPACT TEST RUN BY GM, UNDER CONDITIONS SIMILAR TO NHTSA'S NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (NCAP) SIDE IMPACT TEST.

05V287000Nov 2005

PARKING BRAKE

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 135, 'PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS.' TO MEET THE STANDARD, THE VEHICLE MUST NOT MOVE FOR FIVE MINUTES WHEN STOPPED ON A STEEP HILL WITH THE PARKING BRAKE APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL (N). SOME OF THESE VEHICLES FAILED THIS TEST.

09E005000Feb 2009

STEERING

DORMAN IS RECALLING 979 STEERING KNUCKLES, DORMAN P/NOS. 697-902 AND 697-903, SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS<SUP>TM</SUP>" BRAND NAME, AND NAPA P/NOS. 7-8502 AND 7-8503 WHICH WERE SOLD FOR REPLACEMENT USE ON THE VARIOUS VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. A POTENTIAL MATERIAL OR DESIGN DEFECT COULD RESULT IN THE STEERING KNUCKLE BREAKING IN THE HUB AREA.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Saturn Relay is the 2006 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is transmission.

2005 Saturn Relay vs. Class Average (Minivan - 2WD)

This vehicle

137

Class avg

412

Below the class average — fewer complaints than typical minivan - 2wd vehicles. A good sign.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 137 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 3 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Saturn Relay Model Years

200720062005
View all Saturn Relay years →

2005 Saturn Relay: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2005 Saturn Relay?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2005 Saturn Relay is related to the brakes, with 24 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2005 Saturn Relay reliable?
The 2005 Saturn Relay has 137 complaints, 3 crash reports, and 1 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is below the class average — a positive sign for reliability.
How much does it cost to fix 2005 Saturn Relay problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2005 Saturn Relay have any recalls?
Yes, the 2005 Saturn Relay has 3 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Saturn Relay problems start?
Based on 119 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 42,109 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 0–30K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 137 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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